1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus particularly suitable for, for example, a digital still camera having an autofocus function, an image storage apparatus, an imaging method, a storage method, a recording medium recording an imaging program, and a recording medium recording a storage program.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, a technique has been devised wherein, in order to capture images focused on a subject desired by a photographer even when the distance from the subject rapidly changes or there are many different objects around the subject, a plurality of images of different focal distances is captured in one imaging operation (e.g., Patent document 1).
[Patent Document 1] Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 11-177873
However, in the technique of the above-mentioned patent document, a high-speed variable-focus lens capable of instantaneously changing a focal distance and a drive circuit thereof are provided in order to sequentially capture a plurality of images of focal distances other than the focal distance originally regarded as proper, thus resulting in a complicated and expensive configuration of the apparatus and requiring a memory with higher capacity to store a plurality of images obtained by photographing.
In other words, the technique of the above-mentioned patent document takes a blunderbuss approach, which results in much load on the apparatus and is therefore not suitable for small and light digital cameras of a type that places great importance on, for example, compactness and battery life.